Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Gigante Beans
This generous salad of creamy gigante beans, roasted butternut squash, and glistening ruby-red beets scattered over curly kale always raises a few curious eyebrows when I serve it at the table.
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Ingredients
- 1 small butternut squash
- 1 tablespoon olive oil for roasting the squash
- 2 medium beets
- 1 cup cooked gigante beans or 1 can, drained
- 1 bunch kale 6-7 sprigs
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds or unsalted roasted pepitas
- 3 tablespoons olive oil For salad
- 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
- salt to taste
- 1 teaspoon baking soda per cup of dried beans
Instructions
Prepare the vegetables
- Place the cubed butternut squash on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt, and roast in a 400°F (200°C) oven until lightly caramelized (20 -30 minutes).
- Place the whole beets in a oven safe dish with an inch of water, cover with foil and roast in a 400°F (200°C) oven until tender (about 1 hour). Let cool, then peel and cut the beets into bite-size pieces.
Cook the beans (if using dried)
- Soak overnight in water with about 1 teaspoon of baking soda per cup of beans. Rinse, then simmer in fresh water until tender, about 1 hour. Drain and cool. (Skip if using canned beans.)
Prepare the kale
- Strip the leaves from the stems and chop them into thin ribbons.
Make the dressing
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, and salt.
Toast the pumpkin seeds
- Place the pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet and toast for 3-5 minutes until they begin to puff up, pop, and turn golden brown.
Assemble the salad
- In a large bowl, combine the kale, beans, roasted squash, and beets. Toss gently.
Finish and serve
- Drizzle with dressing and toss lightly. Top with roasted pumpkin seeds and serve.
Notes
Step-by-Step Photos: My blog post includes helpful step-by-step photos to help guide you through making this recipe.
